MANILA, Philippines — An anti-narcotics officer allegedly hooked on e-sabong and accused of duping a Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of P170,000 in cash was arrested while in the act of placing bets in online cockfight in Sta. Mesa, Manila on Wednesday.
Lt. John Kevin Menes, 24, assigned with the special operations unit of the Drug Enforcement Group (DEG)’s field unit in Calabarzon, was apprehended at the Pitmasters cockpit betting station along Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard at around 2 a.m.
Police said Menes was arrested while placing his bets in e-sabong.
Probers said they had been trailing Menes after he left the DEG office at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City, Laguna on Sunday. He allegedly took a Honda Civic sedan of his colleague.
Menes was placed under restrictive custody at the police camp after he failed to present P500,000 in operational funds for anti-narcotics operations.
The police officer also owes employees of Pitmasters P15,000.
Police said they went to the cockpit betting station in Manila following a tip from an informant that Menes had been playing e-sabong.
Police proceeded to Tondo where they recovered the car along Mayhaligue street.
Sangguniang Kabataan chairman Angel Robert Maximo, 25, told probers that Menes pawned the car to him for P170,000 with one percent interest per day.
Maximo said he accepted Menes’ offer, unaware that the policeman was not the owner of the vehicle.
Menes is being held on charges of estafa and illegal gambling.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos earlier banned PNP members from engaging in online cockfight.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the National Bureau of Investigation has interviewed witnesses to shed light on the disappearance of online cockfight bettors.– Evelyn Macairan